The modern Bakluni, from Yecha to the southern reaches of Ull, trace their lineage back to the alabaster cities of the fabled Baklunish Empire. With a history measured in centuries, this ancient nation consist of all the lands stretching along the Dramidj Ocean and from the distant Baklhaut Mountains in the mythic west, to the Flanness heartlands in the east. The legendary elemental mages of the empire bound dijinni and elemental alike to the task of creating wondrous things to “prove” that this empire would stand the wrath of time itself. Everything fell before the power of the great empire, until it encountered another empire that was following the same manifest destiny, the Suel Imperium. The stage was set for these two mammoth empires to wage a war on a scale that was, thus far, unseen upon the world of Oerth.

Sixty-three years of war saw brave, new heroes rise to godhood and moldy, old gods crumble into ash. In the end, the two empires unleashed their doomsday weapons upon each other in an event that has become known as the “Twin Cataclysms.” When the smoke finally cleared, the Suel Imperium was left an ashen waste and the Baklunish were scattered to the four winds. Today the Baklunish are still haunted by the memory of what was and the loss of an empire that has shaped each nation that has followed, with each seeking some claim to the Enlightened Throne.

Appearance: The Baklunish people fall within the norms of most human races although they tend to be long of limb and facial feature, with high cheekbones. Their height ranges anywhere from 5’ to 6’6” tall and their weight from 140-225 lbs.

The Bakluni have a skin almost golden in hue, with fine-textured hair that is universally dark, ranging from bluish black to dusky , dark brown. Their eyes are most often green, gray-green, gray or hazel, with a rare jade-green being the most prized. Children born with such eyes are seen as a blessing.

Though almost unheard of, golden eyes have cropped up from time to time among the Bakluni and these almost always indicate a child with Djinni bloodlines.

The Baklunish once held a great empire on the western side of the Crystalmists and Barrier Peaks. The Invoked Devastation ruined their empire, for which the Baklunish retaliated with the Rain of Colorless Fire, burning the Suel Imperium to ash. Most surviving Baklunish moved north or west, to the borders of the old empire and beyond. The inhabitants of Ekbir, Zeif, Ull, and the Tiger Nomads typify the straight Baklunish strain, while the Tusmites and the Paynims show mixed ancestry. The Wolf Nomads are often darker from intermarriage with the Rovers of the Barrens. The Ketites are the least typical Baklunish, having pale yellow, golden-brown, or tan complexions as a result of Suloise and Oeridian ancestry.

The Baklunish, unlike the Suloise, retained much of their culture after the fall of their empire. Honor, family, generosity, and piety are fundamental virtues. Use of their classical language, Ancient Baklunish, in religious observances, higher learning, and the fine arts has preserved their ancestral traditions. The Baklunish have many customs and taboos derived from their great knowledge of astrology, and their dependence on horses adds many beliefs and traditions regarding their honored steeds, particularly among the nomads. Singing and dancing are widespread in their culture, and trade and exploration are major pursuits.

Settled Baklunish favor bright patterns and gaudy colors in clothes, typically with gowns and robes or else long coats with short breeches. Lower classes use the same colors with a long one-piece garment supplemented with other garb. Nomadic Baklunish prefer clothes with several pastel colors, enjoying fancy garments enhanced with puffs, slashes on sleeves to show contrasting colors underneath, and superfluous trim. When traveling or making war, the nomads instead wear rough items of leather, hide, or cloth, bearing shields or banners indicating clan allegiance.

• Baklunish Culture and Personality
• Baklunish Religion
• Baklunish Fighting Styles

Many skilled wizards are Baklunish, including experts in elemental magic, divination, and summoning and binding spells (used on extraplanar beings). Cooperative spellcasting is practiced by many of the clergy, particularly among the desert mystics.

Folk of the Flanaess

The Bakluni Hierarchy (BH)